The alarming discovery that Luxembourg wine contains forever chemicals has sparked concern among environmentalists and health advocates. A study published by the environmental campaign group Mouvement écologique (Méco) has revealed that three wine samples from the country tested positive for the long-lasting pollutant trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), also known as a per-and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS).

Contamination in the Wine Industry

• Conventional wine production is more likely to result in the presence of TFA in the wine.
• Organic wines, although less likely to contain pesticides, have also tested positive for TFA.
• The Luxembourg wine samples tested showed moderate levels of TFA, ranging between 50µg/l.

It is worth noting that the Luxembourg health directorate has set a recommended maximum limit of 12µg/l for TFA in drinking water, which is significantly lower than the levels detected in the wine samples.

The Alarming Rise of TFA in Wine

1. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) was first detected in wine samples in the 1980s.
2. Since 2010, there has been a dramatic increase in TFA levels in wine, with a sudden doubling of TFA in wines tested between 2010 and 2015.
3. The highest levels of TFA were found in Austrian wines, with a concentration of 320µg/l.

“We used wine as our first plant-based product for the study because vintage wine is a particularly valuable indicator of the historic contamination of the environment,” explained Helmut Burtscher-Schaden, an environmental chemist at Global 2000.

The Impact of TFA on Health

TFA has been shown to have a negative impact on the liver and reproductive health, and high concentrations of some PFAS are linked to certain types of cancer.

“The levels are alarming because they are 100 to 1,000 times higher than the levels of contamination found in rainwater and drinking water, which suggests a strong level of accumulation in plant-based life. The dramatic and steep increase in TFA we are witnessing is even more alarming,” Burtscher-Schaden said.

Solutions and Nuances

PAN Europe and Méco are calling for an “immediate ban on PFAS-based pesticides” and the establishment of an EU drinking water safety limit for TFA.

1. The Luxembourg wine institute IVV has pointed out that “it’s not all black and white” when it comes to pesticide use.
2. “Some illnesses develop and become more resistant so pesticides are necessary,” said Serge Fischer, director of the IVV.
3. However, he also added that “modern pesticides are far less problematic than older ones, and it’s difficult to protect the vinyards without them.”

What is TFA?

TFA is a type of PFAS, also referred to as forever chemicals, which are long-lasting molecules that break down very slowly over time.

TFA has a negative impact on the liver and reproductive health, and high concentrations of some PFAS are linked to certain types of cancer.

TFA comes from various sources, including pesticides used in agriculture, cooling gases, food packaging, used water treatment plants, and industrial pollution.

The EU has adopted a regulation limiting the amounts of all PFAS to 0.5µg/litre from January 2026.

Whether TFA will be included in the regulation remains uncertain.

Conclusion

The presence of TFA in Luxembourg wine has sparked concern among environmentalists and health advocates.